The Pork Podcast

In this episode of the Pork Podcast, host Jennifer Shike sits down with Ashley Hengen, human resources manager for PIC North America, to explore the intersection of human resilience and modern agricultural operations. Ashley’s path to the swine industry was anything but linear—spanning from kinesiology studies to public policy work—but a pivotal mountain hike and a life-altering health challenge at age 14 shaped her into the leader she is today.

Ashley shares how she moved PIC’s HR department from a transactional, "elementary" function to a strategic business partnership. Listeners will gain practical insights into:

• Recruitment with the End in Mind: How to attract talent that aligns with long-term production goals.
• Retention Strategies: The shift from traditional career ladders to "jungle gyms" and the importance of transparent development paths.
• The Power of Listening: Why simple tools like suggestion boxes and Net Promoter Scores are essential for understanding the "slat-level" needs of a workforce.

Whether you are managing a small team or a global operation, Ashley’s "work hard, play hard" mentality and her focus on leading with empathy provide a roadmap for building a more engaged and successful team.

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In this episode of the Pork Podcast, host Jennifer Shike sits down with Joe Dykhuis of Dykhuis Farms in Holland, Mich. Although Dykhuis has deep roots in pork production, he’s not stuck in how things have always been done. As the owner of a large sow farm that relies on contract growers to finish 450,000 pigs a year, he has a unique perspective on how to align people, resources and the pigs themselves to make sure everyone thrives.

He dives deep into the evolving landscape of grow-finish production, explaining why the old "rules of thumb" no longer apply to contract growing and disease management. From navigating the complexities of a multi-generational family business to calculating the staggering up to $1,500-per-sow cost of a PRRS L1C break, Dykhuis shares why he believes high-risk environments offer the greatest returns for those willing to lead.
Key highlights include:

• The "Pig Pays the Bills" Philosophy: Why animal husbandry and business economics are inseparable.
• Contract Growing 2.0: Navigating high interest rates, rising construction costs, and the shift from transactions to true partnerships.
• The Reality of Risk: A sobering look at the modern cost of disease and the urgent need for industry-wide risk mitigation.
• Legacy and Leadership: How a "learner" mindset and involvement in industry organizations helps drive the farm’s success.

Read more at https://www.porkbusiness.com/topics/grow-finish.

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In 2022, Maddison Caldwell shared a story of survival that resonated deeply across the pork industry and rural America. In honor of National Mental Health Month, host Jennifer Shike catches up with Maddison for a raw and powerful conversation on the reality of long-term healing. Read her story here: https://www.porkbusiness.com/news/industry/her-own-hand-farm-girls-miraculous-journey-death-hope

From navigating the "gray areas" of life to redefining what "grit" looks like in agriculture, Maddison opens up about her journey from her darkest days to becoming a beacon of hope for others. This episode isn't just a follow-up; it’s a vital toolkit for anyone in the ag community struggling with the pressure to be "perfect" or "fine."
Tune in to hear:

• The Reality of Recovery: Why healing isn't a straight line and how Maddison manages the pressure of being the "face" of a movement.
• Breaking the Silence: How to move past the "grit" culture and have the uncomfortable conversations that save lives.
• Support Systems: The role of "uncomplicated" joy and how to stay for someone beyond the crisis moment.

Whether you’re a producer, a parent, or someone fighting a silent battle, this episode of The PORK Podcast is a testament to the fact that hope is a choice we make every day.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7. Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.

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Dr. Anna Forseth didn’t just follow a path; she carved one. In this episode, National Pork Producers Council’s Director of Animal Health shares how her Montana upbringing forged the grit necessary to bridge the gap between local farms and global policy. From the front lines of disease defense to high-level trade negotiations in Paris, Forseth discusses the critical stakes of protecting the U.S. swine herd and why her unconventional journey provides a necessary perspective for the industry’s most pressing challenges.

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What does it take to move the needle in the pork industry? For North Carolina State University professor Mark Knauer, it takes the same discipline he learned wrestling under legendary coaches at Iowa State University: the commitment to the "grind." In this episode, we explore how Knauer is bringing elite-level precision to sow management.
We discuss:

• The Sow Caliper: How this simple tool is saving producers money by eliminating subjectivity.
• The Longevity Secret: Why early growth and puberty are the best predictors of a sow’s lifetime success.
• Global Competition: What the U.S. must do through nutrition and health research to out-compete Brazil.
• Practical Research: Why the best insights come from "listening" to the pigs and the people in the barns.

Whether you are a producer looking to improve your bottom line or a fan of agricultural innovation, this conversation offers a masterclass in practical swine science.

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After 20 years in the U.S. Army and multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Michael Williford was ready to retire—but he wasn't ready to slow down. In this episode, he shares his incredible journey from serving in the military to becoming a contract hog grower in Clinton, Ky. Discover how he used the discipline of the military to master swine management and how he’s using "black gold" to transform his family’s row-crop operation.

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Every small decision matters. Whether Dusty Oedekoven, chief veterinarian for the National Pork Board, is talking about wrestling or swine health, he says progress starts with belief. He outlines the newly adopted path forward for the National Swine Health Strategy to help the U.S. pork industry stop living with PRRS and PEDV. Drawing on historical successes like pseudorabies eradication and his own experiences in livestock disease elimination, Oedekoven shares why he believes the industry can move from managing endemic diseases to total elimination.

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Dan Hamilton, senior director for product performance at PIC, explores the vital intersection of swine genetic innovation and personal resilience. He shares how digital phenotyping and AI are revolutionizing the industry—from analyzing the "social networks" of pigs to improve welfare to using camera-based algorithms that enhance sow longevity by removing human subjectivity. While discussing the future of precision agriculture through real-time health monitoring and AI-driven feeding, he also addresses critical industry hurdles such as biological robustness and the evolving demands of pork quality. Most poignantly, he reflects on how the tragic loss of his first wife shaped his philosophy on leadership, underscoring that true success in the pork industry is built on a foundation of work-life balance, perspective, and the resilience to navigate challenges both in production and in life.

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Building trust is key to retaining top talent in the pork industry. Melanie Langley, director of people care at Fine Swine, discusses how you can transform barn culture through empathy. Langley shares her three Ps framework—protection, purpose and presence—to show how prioritizing the person behind the pig is the ultimate key to success.

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